Birmingham travel to Hull on Saturday afternoon knowing that victory might be enough to climb into the top six.
The Blues have lost just one of their last six Championship games and 2/1 could turn out to be a huge price – Garry Monk’s side are in fantastic form.
Blues fans enjoyed a huge win at Bristol City on Tuesday; the travelling fans were rewarded for their commitment with a superb performance.
The visitors are well placed to secure a positive result at the KCOM Stadium; 11/20 for Birmingham to win OR draw is well worth a punt.
Monk will have his side fired up and ready to go this weekend – three points could be huge for building momentum.
The Blues are unbeaten in their last three league games away from St Andrew’s and Birmingham fans ill be quietly confident ahead of Saturday’s trip.
Hull are unbeaten in eight home league games, winning six of those fixtures. The Tigers have been fantastic in 2019 and Birmingham will need to be on top form to stand any chance of victory.
Both teams to score is reasonably priced at 3/4 and this could be high-scoring.
Che Adams has scored 10 goals in as many league games – he has been Birmingham’s star man in 2018/19.
888sport have an enhanced special on Adams to score in an away win this weekend, offering a tasty 5/1 on the wincast.
The draw is well and truly inplay this weekend; Hull will be difficult to beat on home soil but the Blues are in great form.
It should be a thrilling contest at the KCOM Stadium – Monk’s men will fancy their chances and Birmingham fans will be heading to Hull in vast numbers. Take the 21/20 for over 2.5 goals; that could be the bet of the day.
Prediction: Hull 1-1 Birmingham (5/1)
Bet of the day: Over 2.5 goals (21/20)
Outside punt: Che Adams to score the first goal (5/1)
Enhanced wincast: Che Adams to score and Birmingham to win (5/1)
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
Alex is a sports betting tipster, specialising in Premier League football, the Champions League and horse racing.
He loves placing a weekly accumulator on the football at the weekend and dreams of landing the big winner that will take him back to Las Vegas.
As well as writing sports betting tips for 888sport since 2015, Alex has produced content for several international media companies, such as Goal.com and The SPORTBible.
This was a rare week, as we had a full Premier League schedule in midweek followed by all 20 teams being in action of the weekend.
After the excitement of Premier League matches under the lights, the standard weekend format returns.
A north London derby should make for an intriguing lunchtime kick-off, while Newcastle fans are given another awkward trip as they travel to London for the evening match against West Ham.
These two matches are under the spotlight in this piece, making up a tempting 8/1 Saturday TV double.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs ARSENAL (12:30pm)
Just a few days ago, Arsenal were on the brink of crisis and Spurs were in the title race. The teams’ paths have switched since then.
Arsenal are in the top four, made it past BATE Borisov in the Europa League and are only four points behind their north London rivals, who are out of the title contention and looking over their shoulders at the top four contest.
Tottenham were poor against Burnley and Chelsea. Harry Kane’s return to the side has not had the expected impact.
Kane’s 10/11 price to score anytime at Wembley on Saturday is what we expect from one of the world’s best, but it’s a difficult price to back considering his ineffectiveness against Chelsea.
Arsenal, in stark contrast, have Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette fit and blew Bournemouth away in midweek. Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan played and performed, giving Unai Emery a welcome selection dilemma.
It is unlikely Ozil and Mkhitaryan start, and possible that neither do, however, as Emery will favour industry in the midfield and look to pair his star strikers.
Emery’s side look a good bet at 10/13 to avoid defeat considering recent form. Their away record this season makes it more questionable, though – the Gunners have only picked up 18 points from their 13 away league matches.
Jan Vertonghen is likely to return for Spurs, which gives Mauricio Pochettino a crucial boost. Reverting to the back three is likely after playing 4-2-3-1 against Chelsea.
The midfield matchup will be decisive, particularly Lucas Torreira’s efforts to limit Christian Eriksen’s effectiveness. Eriksen has not been at his best of late – Spurs need a good performance from him in this huge Premier League fixture.
Goals always feel like a good way to go in a north London derby. Both teams are good going forward but can be shaky at the back. It should be an entertaining 90 minutes. This one could go either way.
TIP: Over 3.5 goals @ 33/20
PREDICTED SCORE: Tottenham 2-2 Arsenal (Priced at 19/2 with 888sport)
WEST HAM UNITED vs NEWCASTLE UNITED (5:30pm)
West Ham have made mid-table home under Manuel Pellegrini, avoiding the drama that is so often associated with the club.
A 3-1 thumping of Fulham last weekend was a fair demonstration of their quality, and they made things difficult for Manchester City in midweek, despite falling to a 1-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium.
Newcastle are on a superb run, winning four of their last six in the league. Rafa Benitez’s side still have work to do, but the six-point cushion to the relegation zone is looking pretty good with 10 matches to go.
The Magpies are only five points behind West Ham and could yet finish in the top half, which they are 9/1 to do.
A win here would as good as seal another Premier League campaign for Newcastle. Benitez has worked his magic again. Their away form, though, makes it hard to back them even at 11/4.
Two points from their last five on the road does not give bettors much confidence, though they were unfortunate not to beat Wolves at Molineux in their last away outing.
West Ham have been solid at home, including a draw with Liverpool and win over Arsenal recently. The 2/7 to avoid defeat is on the short side. The 49/20 on a draw is one of the best sports bettingoptions this weekend.
January signing Miguel Almiron has hit the ground running for Newcastle. The former Atlanta United star was brilliant against Burnley on Tuesday, creating chances and providing support to Salomon Rondon.
Almiron is 4/1 to score anytime at the London Stadium on Saturday evening. There will be plenty of talent on display. A moment of individual brilliance could win it for either side, but Benitez will set up to be solid, making the draw a good bet.
TIP: Match to end as a draw @ 49/20
PREDICTED SCORE: West Ham 1-1 Newcastle (Priced at 21/4 with 888sport)
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.
He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.
Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.
Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.
There are just 10 matches left in the Premier League season. With no Friday or Monday action or FA Cup matches, there’s a full schedule this weekend, including seven games on Saturday.
The two televised slots are filled with the north London derby and Newcastle’s trip to West Ham, leaving us with five 3pm kick-offs. Four of those matches are picked for our weekly non-televised accumulator here.
Manchester United and Manchester City are in action, while there are vital points available in the relegation battle for Burnley, Southampton, Crystal Palace and Cardiff. Below are a few thoughts and football betting tips on this weekend’s games...
AFC BOURNEMOUTH vs MANCHESTER CITY
Bournemouth have slumped recently, losing three of their last four and leaking goals. There’s not much to play for, and it’s showing in their performances.
Arsenal cruised to a 5-1 win against the Cherries in midweek, but they are a different proposition at home and are capable of causing an upset against the reigning champions at the weekend.
Manchester City needed a penalty to beat West Ham at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday after a disappointing display against Chelsea in the League Cup final.
Pep Guardiola’s side lifted the trophy after a shootout win, though, and are still hunting a quadruple. They can go top with a draw on the south coast with Liverpool not playing until Sunday afternoon.
Despite two underwhelming attacking performances from City, backing a high-scoring match is the best option here. Bournemouth’s defence will struggle to contain City.
TIP: Over 3.5 goals @ Evens
PREDICTED SCORE: Bournemouth 1-4 Manchester City (Priced at 12/1 with 888sport)
Burnley vs CRYSTAL PALACE
Burnley’s impressive unbeaten run came to an end with a defeat away to Newcastle in midweek. Sean Dyche’s side are five points clear of the Premier League bottom three, but still need six or seven points to be safe.
Performances have improved of late, with the Clarets looking like their 2017/18 selves. They will be full of confidence, having won four of their last six at home.
A midweek defeat to Manchester United was a setback after a good run for Crystal Palace. Palace were superb last weekend, beating Leicester 4-1 at the King Power Stadium.
Burnley’s defence has not been secure of late – it will be interesting to see how they deal with Palace’s front three.
Palace have a good away record. Turf Moor is a difficult place to visit, but Roy Hodgson’s side will fancy their chances of getting a positive result.
TIP: Crystal Palace to win OR draw @ 4/9
PREDICTED SCORE: Burnley 1-2 Crystal Palace (Priced at 17/2 with 888sport)
MANCHESTER UNITED vs Southampton
Even an injury crisis could not stop Manchester United from beating Crystal Palace in midweek as Romelu Lukaku started and delivered for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Marcus Rashford should return to the team for the visit of Southampton. United are unbeaten in 11 in the league and are full of confidence.
Southampton have been up and down of late. A limp performance against Arsenal was followed with an invaluable victory over Fulham.
Ralph Hasenhuttl has improved them significantly and it would be a surprise to see Saints relegated from this point.
United should win this one fairly comfortably. Southampton will not have an answer for Paul Pogba, who is playing as well as any non-Messi footballer in the world right now.
TIP: Manchester United to win @ 4/9
PREDICTED SCORE: Manchester United 3-0 Southampton (Priced at 9/1 with 888sport)
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS vs Cardiff City
Wolves are on a bad run. Draws with Newcastle and Bournemouth were followed by a barely believable defeat to Huddersfield.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side remain seventh, but that’s only on goal difference and they will be desperate to return to winning ways in this one. Their home record is okay, and they have picked up seven points from their last three Molineux encounters.
Cardiff’s form has flipped of late. A win in their last away match was huge, but the Welsh club have followed that with two home defeats, conceding eight goals in the process.
Neil Warnock’s side are the current favourites to join Fulham and Huddersfield in the Championship next season. They really need a result here, with four matches against the top four remaining.
It’s hard to see past a home win. Cardiff have been thoroughly outplayed in their last two and will struggle to live with Wolves’ quality.
TIP: Wolves to win @ 4/9
PREDICTED SCORE: Wolves 2-0 Cardiff (Priced at 5/1 with 888sport)
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.
He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.
Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.
Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.
The Grimthorpe Chase has had a long and varied history but is still regarded as a major stepping stone on the road to the Aintree and Midlands Grand Nationals.
Prior to the early 1980s the Grimthorpe was run over two miles and 150 yards but the distance was then upped dramatically, almost doubling to a stamina testing four miles and 100 yards.
The race distance changed again in the 1990’s to the current trip of three and a quarter miles when it was run as the Velka Pardubicka Grimthorpe Chase for a few years.
This provided a tie-in with the famous Czech Republic race whose course is based on the original 1880’s Grand National course.
Runner-By-Runner Guide:
Rocky's Treasure (Kim Bailey)
Such as been the success shown by the eight-year-old novice already this season that the handicapper has shouldered him with the top weight here.
Rocky’s Treasure has won four of his six starts over fences thus far but it was one of his defeats that stood out the most when he went down by just four lengths at the hands of Santini in a Grade 2 chase at Newbury.
Dingo Dollar (Alan King)
Dingo Dollar went off the hot 3/1 favourite for the Sky Bet Chase at this venue at the end of January but could only muster sixth place that day.
Alan King's charge is a previous winner at the track and if he can replicate his third in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury in early December, then he must go close in this feature race.
Abolitionist will have his prep race for the Grand National by taking in this race.
The eleven-year-old, who was third in the 2017 Irish Grand National, has yet to run over fences for Dr Newland since arriving from Ellmarie Holden's stable in Ireland - but he did win first time out over hurdles at Aintree back in November.
Expect a bold showing from this eight-time winner as he puts his Aintree credentials to the test.
Barney Dwan (Fergal O'Brien)
Barney Dwan was last seen when chasing home Glen Rocco at Kempton Park last month but that facile winner did very little to frank that form in his subsequent run.
The nine-year-old holds an entry in the Midlands Grand National and this could well be a warm up for that event.
Looking Well (Nicky Richards)
Winner of a Veterans’ Handicap Chase here over three miles last time out, the Nicky Richards-trained chaser should be able to cope with the extra two furlongs he will need to cover in this.
He holds an entry in the Grand National, but has no chance of getting in the race, so effectively this will be his own personal National.
Carole's Destrier (Neil Mulholland)
Ran very disappointingly in the Grand National Trial at Haydock last time out but he was hampered whilst at the rear of the field and that is a very plausible excuse.
Winner of the Mandarin Chase over Christmas and a decent fourth at Warwick the time after that, the eleven-year-old has the tendency to bounce right back when you least except it.
Brian Boranha (Peter Niven)
Brian Boranha is the sole representative from Yorkshire but he will do well to figure here after finishing unplaced in last month’s Sky Bet Chase.
The eight-year-old is more of a summer jumping type if the truth be known but it has been unseasonably warm this week so you should never say never.
Beau Du Brizais (Philip Hobbs)
Improving youngster Beau Du Brizais is on an upward curve and may have more to come this season.
His last two chase wins at Ludlow were impressive and if he can run up to that kind of standard again here then he must go close.
Acdc (Chris Grant)
Acdc was certainly pitched in on the highway to hell last time out when he unsuccessfully chased home Definitly Red and Double Shuffle at Aintree in the Many Clouds Chase.
This race looks somewhat easier on paper but Acdc appears to be at his best when there is some give underfoot and there doesn’t look like being much of that around at the weekend.
Lough Derg Jewel (Donald McCain)
Often sets the pace and sometimes gets one or two of the others off their feet in the early stages of a race.
The eight-year-old put a year-long lean spell behind him when winning at Doncaster in December and followed that up by running second at Kelso.
He seems to be a versatile horse when it comes to the ground conditions too.
Doing Fine (Neil Mulholland)
The eleven-year-old has really gone off the boil over the last couple of seasons since he won a race at Cheltenham in 2017. Alas that wasn’t the Festival and you’re unlikely to see him in the Cheltenham betting this year but this is more his level, especially on a going day.
Some of his better performances have come on good going so Doncaster may just revitalise this veteran.
Childswell (Nicky Richards)
Nobody would begrudge Chidswell winning this race after the connections of this horse unfortunately lost Baywing in the Eider Chase last Saturday.
Chidswell was the winner of a four-runner chase at Kelso last time out beating one of today’s rivals Lough Derg Jewel.
5 wins from 23 runs represent a 22% strike rate for this ten-year-old and he has followed up on a win before which is encouraging.
CONCLUSION:
Big things are expected from Abolitionist this weekend on his eagerly awaited return to chasing and his build up to Aintree.
Dr Newland will have left no stone unturned and he should be bang in contention come the business end of proceedings.
888sport suggests: Abolitionist (e/w).
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
Steven is a sports and horse racing enthusiast and is a member of the Horseracing Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA) in the United Kingdom.
He is a regular visitor to Paris Longchamp for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and a lifelong fan of the Aintree Grand National, a subject he writes about 52 weeks of the year. Last year he reached the impressive milestone of attending the last 30 renewals of the Grand National.
Steven graduated from the University Of Lancaster in 1996 with a B.A (Hons) in Urban Policy & Race Relations (major) with Contemporary Religions & Belief Systems (minor) and still wonders if any of these help him find the winners?
He writes for a number of websites and online publications and you can sometimes hear him at the weekend discussing racing on a number of local radio stations.
Liverpool are top of the Premier League at the end of February. There are only 10 league matches remaining, as Jurgen Klopp’s side chase a 19th English league title and a first in the Premier League era.
With a solitary league defeat all season, you’d expect Liverpool to be comfortable favourites. Their odds have slipped in recent weeks, though, making reigning champions Manchester City the odds-on favourites to lift the trophy.
Liverpool are averaging a shade under 2.5 points per match. They would be clear with that mark in plenty of other seasons. Competing with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City is a sterner task, and perhaps, an impossible one.
Liverpool, despite having a point advantage over their north west rivals, are underdogs in a title race they have led for so much of the campaign.
Unfortunately for Klopp and his players, the longer odds do not lessen the weight of expectation. Sitting atop the Premier League table since before Christmas will do that.
The lead was as high as seven points on New Year’s Eve. Minor blips and defeat to City in the first two months of 2019 have seen Guardiola rapidly appear in Klopp’s rearview mirror.
The history of Brendan Rodgers’ late-season collapse. The decades without domestic glory. The pain of watching Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United dominate the Premier League. All of these things combine to increase the pressure on Klopp’s men.
Leading from the front and becoming favourites changed the reasonable expectation for this season. Winning the title went from being an outside possibility to a probability, to the point where saying Liverpool were favourites was not crazy.
Draws with Manchester United, Leicester and West Ham have changed the Premier League title picture. City are on an unstoppable run, while Klopp has seen his side falter.
They are not disastrous results, and they still picked up three points from those matches, but this is what City demand from teams who go toe-to-toe with them.
Two points dropped is not just a thing that happens, it is a blip, and City have pretty much taken advantage of every ever-so-minor blip Liverpool have had in recent weeks.
There’s a Merseyside derby coming up and Tottenham and Chelsea are still to visit Anfield. City will drop points, but the margin for error is paper-thin.
Liverpool have plenty of winnable fixtures remaining – Huddersfield and Fulham stick out – but there’s also the potential distraction of the Champions League.
Liverpool are 4/7 favourites to beat Everton in the Merseyside derby this weekend. Use 888sport’s betting calculator to compile your accumulator.
Europe is a greater concern for City than it is for Liverpool. That does not give Klopp the flexibility to rotate in the Champions League and fall out of the competition with a whimper, however.
Guardiola can make changes without naming a definitely weakened line-up. Unfortunately, Klopp does not have the same luxury at Anfield.
Liverpool still have a very good chance of overcoming Bayern Munich when they head to Bavaria in mid-March. Klopp has crucial decisions to make, as he tries to avoid burnout for his stars.
The league may be a priority but naming a rotated team and being eliminated from the Champions League is not an option. Such a scenario would make winning the Premier League a necessity.
Does Klopp gamble and give his stars a rest against Burnley or Fulham (the matches either side of the trip to Germany) instead? Do the core players just play 270 minutes in a week and hope to rest in the international break?
These are the squad management challenges Klopp faces. Guardiola’s situation is significantly easier, even with injuries. Liverpool have made great strides in recent windows, improving squad quality and depth.
They still lag behind in that regard though, meaning alterations to the starting line-up make the team noticeably weaker. At some point, Klopp will probably have to do that in either the Champions League or Premier League. That is a big call.
The extra matches of the Champions League increase the physical strain. Being out of the competition would see the league pressure grow.
Everyone associated with Liverpool would have taken this scenario back in August. Now they are here, though, every decision is viewed under a microscope, every goal is considered season-defining and every draw or defeat is a disaster.
These are the challenges players and managers want to face in spring. As much as we all love to leap to conclusions on big matches in autumn and winter, it is spring where we really find out about a team.
Getting to this point is one thing. As the prospect of immortality nears for these Liverpool players, so does the risk of disappointment, of falling short.
Losing out to this City side is no embarrassment. From where Liverpool got to in late 2018, they earned the right to be considered peers, though. Klopp’s team have been one of Europe’s best this season, capable of going toe-to-toe with City like few others.
Klopp’s coaching, development of players and superb recruitment has made Liverpool more than title outsiders. They deserve to be in the ‘top two’, streets ahead of the Premier League’s rest.
City looked set to reign supreme for years to come, and Liverpool, regardless of what happens in the next two months or so, have done incredibly well to raise their standards to City’s level.
It is a peculiar situation for the leaders to be underdogs. The Premier League title race is still in the balance, of course, but the trajectories of both teams give City the upper hand right now.
Liverpool’s title drought and winter lead leaves them suffering the burden of favourites, despite having to upset the odds.
Klopp and his team are in a unique and rather bizarre situation. One injury to the front three or back four changes everything in a way it does not for Guardiola and City.
Even in a historically great campaign, with a squad containing some of the world’s best, and a lead (albeit small) as we enter March, Liverpool need good fortune and an almost perfect run to win the title.
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.
He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.
Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.
Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.
It wasn’t your conventional Manchester City performance on Sunday afternoon but Pep Guardiola’s men did enough to secure the first major trophy of 2018/19.
The Blues were some way below their usual best, needing a penalty shootout to defeat Maurizio Sarri’s Chelsea. Most of the post-match focus has been on the Kepa Arrizabalaga incident but it would be foolish to ignore City’s success. An unprecedented quadruple is well and truly on.
Two weeks prior to the League Cup final, City had dismantled a hapless Chelsea defence at the Etihad Stadium. A 6-0 drubbing sent shockwaves across the top flight and most football fans were expecting a comfortable win for Guardiola’s side at Wembley.
That wasn’t the case though, Chelsea gave an excellent account of themselves for 120 minutes but fell short from 12 yards. Raheem Sterling stepped up with a superb spot-kick under pressure to clinch the victory.
Now as short as 13/25 to win the Premier League title, City have the bit between their teeth. It was a good weekend all round for the Blues as Liverpool could only manage a draw against a depleted Manchester United side.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have drawn three of their last four Premier League games and momentum is with City as we enter the business end of the campaign.
Victory over West Ham United on Wednesday will help to maintain the gap to Liverpool – assuming of course that the Reds are able to claim three points at home to Watford.
Klopp will be demanding an improved effort from his side; there is no room for error with City just one point behind in the title race. Pep’s men will be relentless from here on in and most are expecting the defending champions to climb into top spot sooner rather than later.
Claiming that City have one hand on the FA Cup trophy may be a little far-fetched but Pep’s side are well placed to push on and reach the Wembley showpiece.
On paper, this is City’s trophy to lose and perhaps only arch rivals Manchester United can stop Guardiola’s men in their pursuit of glory. With the Red Devils needing to win at Molineux to book their spot in the semi-finals, there is no guarantee that United will be in the draw for the final four.
888sport football betting odds have Manchester City at 17/20 to win the FA Cup this season – an incredible price given their quarter-final draw. Swansea City will want to claim a giant-killing but the Blues are expected to make light work of the Welsh outfit.
Guardiola’s policy of squad rotation has worked well so far this campaign and he is likely to tinker with his side on a game-by-game basis as we edge closer to the end of 2018/19.
Without a shadow of a doubt, Guardiola is the greatest manager in the world right now. If you’re talking in terms of both style and results, he rivals the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson as the greatest of all-time.
At their free-flowing best, Manchester City are a joy to watch. Even the most ardent Red Devils supporter will admit that the Blues are one of the most exciting teams in the world; Guardiola’s take on total football is contagious.
The Champions League is an interesting one. Barring a disaster in the second leg, City will be in the quarter-final draw for the third time in four years.
The Blues showed great resilience to come back from two goals down to defeat Schalke in the first leg of their last-16 clash – and that was after going down to 10 men too. Manchester City look destined to win the Champions League under Pep but will this be their year?
Now clear favourites at 3/1 in sports betting odds for Champions League glory in 2018/19, City have a real chance to lift Europe’s primary club trophy for the first time.
When City announced that Guardiola was taking over at the Etihad, they also stated that the ultimate objective is to win the Champions League. It looks like the stars are aligning for Manchester City to go on and fulfil their destiny under the Spaniard – a favourable quarter-final draw will only enhance their chances.
Manchester City are threatening to rewrite the history books once again. The Blues had to play second fiddle to United for so long but the balance of power in Manchester has shifted in recent years.
This is City’s time to shine and Red Devils fans are having to sit and watch Pep do unbelievable things at the Etihad Stadium. With Guardiola contracted until the end of the 2021/22 campaign, City should continue to dominate and challenge on multiple fronts.
In the Premier League, you have the old unstoppable force vs immovable object scenario. City’s high-powered offence are capable of blowing teams out of the water but Liverpool are getting the job done through defensive stability.
Will Pep’s easy on the eye brand of football prevail? You’d be hard pressed to argue against Manchester City at this moment in time. Like Ferguson was during his tenure across the city, Guardiola is a notorious winner and he will not allow the Blues to let up.
888sport football specials have Manchester City at 8/1 to go on and win the quadruple this season. Pipping Liverpool to the domestic title is going to be tough but Guardiola gives the Blues a clear edge over Klopp.
Last year’s side was the best Premier League team ever in terms of points but winning the quadruple would undoubtedly eclipse that achievement. Heck, it might even be enough to label this Manchester City team as the greatest English club side of all-time.
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
Alex is a sports betting tipster, specialising in Premier League football, the Champions League and horse racing.
He loves placing a weekly accumulator on the football at the weekend and dreams of landing the big winner that will take him back to Las Vegas.
As well as writing sports betting tips for 888sport since 2015, Alex has produced content for several international media companies, such as Goal.com and The SPORTBible.
Domestic football cup competitions like the FA Cup, Coupe de France and the Copa Del Ray have been in existence since what seems like the dawn of time.
The longstanding competitions have often been thought of as magical, and have given opportunities for lowly opposition to take on the giants of the game.
But with much more money at stake in Europe’s top divisions and the Champions League, managers seem to be putting less focus on these smaller prizes.
With the bigger competitions now overshadowing domestic tournaments, have these classic cups lost their lustre?
The Magic Of The Cup
Domestic cup competitions have long been thought of as special occasions, with sayings like “the magic of the cup” often being used to describe memorable ties.
The FA Cup is actually the oldest national football competition in the world, played since the 1871-72 season.
Meanwhile, the Coupe de France has been going over one hundred years since 1917, and Spain’s Copa Del Rey was first played in 1903 making it the country’s oldest football competition.
All three of these cups are open to all the teams playing in the respective countries, which means non-league teams have a chance at making it to the latter stages.
For this reason, these cups are certainly magical occasions for the sides that don’t get the chance to compete with the elite clubs on a regular basis.
Neutral fans love to see shock upsets, when sides from the lower divisions claim the scalp of one of the country’s top clubs. It can also lead to exciting online betting opportunities when the underdogs have long odds.
These occasions are still magical, and there have been many surprises in recent times.
For instance, Newport Town from League 2 recently defeated Middlesbrough of the Championship to claim a tie with Manchester City at home in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
The Coupe de France is perhaps the best competition for less renowned clubs to have a shot in. The cup is designed in such a way that lower ranked teams are always given a slight advantage over those in the higher divisions.
The rules state that higher placed clubs are forced to play away to lower-league competition if they are competing two leagues below.
This gives the teams of lesser renown a chance to battle with the heavyweights on their own turf, and it can also be a treat for the fans of these clubs to see some of the best players in the country visit.
Last year, an amateur club made it all the way to the final. Les Herbiers VF played at the Stade de France, but were ultimately beaten 2-0 by Paris Saint-Germain.
If the small French club had have won it would have been one of the biggest upsets in the history of football betting.
Financial Lure Of Champions League Football
Despite there still being some magic surrounding domestic cup competitions, it could be argued that they are losing their shine simply because the bigger clubs don’t care about them as much as the smaller sides.
In the eyes of the elite clubs, it makes more sense to go for the big money associated with winning the domestic top flight and the Champions League.
Without a shadow of a doubt, the Champions League is the most prestigious cup competition in the world.
The competition as we know it now came about in 1992, and expanded the previously named European Champion Clubs’ Cup so that it included a group stage and allowed for multiple entrants from certain countries.
Clubs who take part in the competition but are eliminated at the group stage receive €230,000, but those who go all the way and win the trophy take away an astonishing €19 million.
Not only does this money provide clubs with funds to strengthen in the transfer market, continued showings in the paramount competition also help to attract the best players.
If a side is to progress all the way to the final of the Champions League, they will play a total of thirteen extra games in the season. This is occurring between the domestic league and cup matches, and leaves squads stretched quite thinly.
This means that managers who want to have a chance of making it to the latter stages of the European tournament must rest their key players in other matches to ensure they are fit enough to compete.
Despite this, Barcelona have won the last four Copa Del Ray titles. The Spanish giants are heading the La Liga odds to claim another league title this year, but seeing as their squad is so vast, they may have what it takes to battle on all fronts.
Chance For Managers To Use Squad Players
From the point of view of players who don’t get a chance to play regularly in the first team, domestic cups are a great way to see some action.
Some clubs compete in four different competitions for large portions of the season, so to avoid players getting tired, managers will try to rotate their squads wherever possible.
Because there is so much money at stake in the Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1, and the Champions League, managers of the elite sides in these divisions tend to put domestic cups much lower on their list of priorities.
Fans want to see their team progress in the major competitions, but they also want to see them pick up some silverware.
This can often lead to some frustration when managers put out a second string side and then end up being on the wrong end of an upset.
When Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United knocked out Tottenham Hotspur in the 2018 semi-final, the Red Devils boss went on to say that the cup was “no big deal.”
Mauricio Pochettino also recently announced that he placed a top-four finish in the English top flight above silverware in the cup, which makes sense from a financial standpoint.
However, fans of the club want to see the players trying to win as many medals as possible as well. When supporters pay the price of a ticket to watch their team play, they also want to see the best players in action.
They don’t want to go all the way to the stadium to see the manager put out a weakened squad who exit the cup meekly, simply because he wants to preserve the main players for the big competitions.
That seems to be the way cup tournaments are going now. Managers seem them as a way to keep squad players fit and give them a chance to prove they are ready to step up into the first team. This certainly takes some of the shine off the competitions.
For clubs outside the European elite who don’t have the Champions League to contend with, there is still a lot of magic surrounding domestic cups.
The problem is, the fact that some sides see the smaller competitions as unimportant does take some of the shine off and takes away some of the credit that smaller clubs deserve for winning games.
Bigger sides should respect these old cups and make sure they give the fans value for money.
Whether you are a complete novice or an experienced bettor, it is worth taking the time to analyse your betting strategy to identify what you are doing correctly, and just as importantly, to work out where you are going wrong.
What Are The Most Common Betting Mistakes?
All bettors make mistakes; it is part of the learning process. That being said, it is important that you recognise your errors and avoid them in the future.
With that in mind, let's take a look at some of the common mistakes and pitfalls you should set out to avoid.
Betting For The Sake Of It
Okay, so you have decided to place a football bet, but can’t find one that offers great value. What do you do? Bet anyway? No. If you can’t find a bet you feel offers great value, you should not bet at all.
Betting may provide some fun, but the ultimate goal is to make money by maximising every opportunity. A good bet is one that offers high value in relation to calculated probability.
Now, you may have to put in some effort to find such bets, but with so many statistics freely available online, it is possible for any punter to identify high-value bets.
However, you should never start out thinking: “I must place a bet today.” If there are no decent bets – forget it.
Go and do something else instead. There will always be other opportunities. The most successful punters are also the most disciplined; they never bet for the sake of it.
Not Understanding Why A Bet Lost
You can’t win every bet – that is one of the certainties of wagering. But what you can do, is try to understand why you lost. Losing can be an important part of the learning process, providing you carry out an honest assessment of your own performance.
You may feel you did not do enough research or your decision was influenced by personal bias towards a team. If you conclude that you were diligent in every aspect of the decision-making process, then you can just put it down to experience and move on.
But if you feel there was something you could have done differently, make a note of it and remind yourself the next time you bet.
Not Keeping A Betting Record
As soon as you start wagering on sports, you should start keeping a betting log. This is the best way to track your own progress and to learn what does and does not work for you.
While it might seem time-consuming at first, you will notice the benefits in the long term. And if you are not great with spreadsheets, there are online tools available to help you keep a betting log.
You should keep a note of the following details as a minimum:
Event and date
Market
Odds
Stake
Reason for bet
Result
Returns
Other notes
A betting log can help you identify market trends and patterns within your own wagering habits. Analysing why you lost also becomes much easier.
Not Playing To Your Strengths
Every punter has a sport or market where they feel most comfortable wagering.
They may have an in-depth knowledge of a particular field such as the ATP Tennis World Tour, which makes researching and finding value much easier, or they may have stumbled on a football market they can analyse with ease.
If you become profitable in a certain area, it may pay to play to your strengths and concentrate on finessing your strategy in that field.
You may find you can transfer your strategy to other sports or markets, but don’t feel you must expand your activities if you are already making a profit with your current approach.
Revealing Your Betting Secrets
There is a reason some professional gamblers charge other people for their secrets, while others keep their methods to themselves.
Revealing your secrets can draw attention to your strategy and you may find it harder to find value as more people follow your lead and the bookies react.
Winning formulae are the Holy Grail of betting and you'll be better off keeping them to yourself.
Gut-Feeling Betting
Sporting events can provide an emotional experience, especially if your team is playing. But successful sports wagering requires you to remain level-headed, so you should never bet based on a gut feeling.
You should also avoid betting on events featuring your own team unless you are 100% sure you can be objective. Personal bias can blow a good strategy out of the water.
A game such as the derby between Liverpool and Manchester United can bring out strong tribal feelings in even the most disciplined of bettors. Never let your emotions get in the way!
Trusting Judgment Of Others
If you know people who bet, the chances are you would have been given a sure-fire tip in the past. It could be from a friend of a friend in a bar who knows the brother of a horse trainer.
By all means, take a look at the stats, calculate the perceived probability and see if a wager offers value, but never take someone’s word for it when your own money is at stake.
Maximise Value
One of the secrets of good wagering is maximising the value of every bet. This means making sure the odds are strong in relation to the probability of the bet.
You can do your own research to estimate the probability of an outcome and then see how that matches against the probability suggested by the odds.
To calculate the implied probability from the odds you can use this formula:
(1 / decimal odds) x 100 = probability
For example, if the decimal odds are 4.00 the equation is:
(1 / 4.00) x 100 = 25%
You should also make sure you understand how much your bet will pay out, especially when placing multiple bets. You can do this by using a bet calculator.
Useful Information From 888sport: Betting Mistakes
Many mistakes can be avoided by learning some basic betting strategies and keeping yourself informed about the different types of markets available.
For example, if you are unsure how card betting works, you can find out by visiting the 888sport page dedicated to the subject.
Likewise, if you are new to the concept of Both Teams to Score, you can find out how to make the most of this market by visiting the ‘Football Betting: A Guide To Wagering On Both Teams To Score’ section of the 888sport blog.
Whatever market you are exploring, there is a wealth of information available to help you develop your own betting strategies and make informed wagering decisions.
If you can learn to eliminate common mistakes from your betting activities, you will never feel like you are throwing away your money again.
Liverpool failed to make the most of their game-in-hand on Manchester City but the Reds should take positives from their goalless draw at Manchester United. Securing a point at Old Trafford is never easy and Jurgen Klopp’s men look back at that draw as a very good point.
With Tottenham Hotspur falling short against Burnley on Saturday afternoon, most fans are now calling it a two-horse race for the Premier League title. Liverpool are a point clear at the top of the table but both challengers are in action on Wednesday evening.
The Reds are hunting their first domestic title in 29 years but momentum is back with the defending champions. Without further ado, let’s take a look at a few of Wednesday’s games – the four-fold is available at just over 6/1 in the sports betting odds...
ARSENAL vs AFC BOURNEMOUTH (7:45pm)
Arsenal have picked up 35 points from a possible 42 on home soil this campaign – a record bettered only by that of Liverpool and Manchester City. The Gunners have won seven on the spin at the Emirates Stadium and will be quietly confident of victory here.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth have slipped down to 10th in the table after a torrid run of form. On the road, the Cherries have failed to inspire confidence – scoring just one goal in their last six away matches. Eddie Howe will be demanding an improved effort on Wednesday.
Despite Bournemouth’s struggles in front of goal, I like the 4/6 available for both teams to score on Wednesday night. Arsenal’s defence is inconsistent at best and the Cherries could spring a shock if the Gunners are off colour.
TIP: Both teams to score @ 4/6
PREDICTED SCORE: Arsenal 2-1 Bournemouth (Priced at 7/1 with 888sport)
CRYSTAL PALACE vs Manchester United (7:45pm)
Roy Hodgson’s side are unbeaten in their previous four top flight games – Crystal Palace are now up to 13th. The Eagles will fancy their chances under the Selhurst Park floodlights and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see Palace nick a positive result.
Given the circumstances, Manchester United will have been satisfied with a draw at home to Liverpool on Sunday. With injuries plaguing the squad, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may have to turn to a few of his fringe players ahead of this contest.
The 8/13 on offer for Palace to avoid defeat should be snapped up. Taking United’s injury woes into account, the Eagles have enough quality to hold their own on home soil. It might not be the prettiest game of the night but it should be entertaining nonetheless.
TIP: Crystal Palace to win OR draw @ 8/13
PREDICTED SCORE: Crystal Palace 1-1 Man United (Priced at 5/1 with 888sport)
LIVERPOOL vs Watford (8pm)
Liverpool will want to get back to winning ways here after a run of four draws in the space of five games. Klopp’s men have been sublime on home soil this season and Anfield will be expecting a big performance on Wednesday night.
But Watford are no slouches and predicting a landslide Liverpool victory would be foolish. The Hornets put five goals past Cardiff City on Friday night and Javi Gracia’s men will have a go at Anfield. Watford will not roll over and let Liverpool have everything their own way.
However, I’m expecting Liverpool’s class to shine through. The Reds are well priced at 3/4to score in both halves here – Watford will give a decent account but Liverpool should prove too strong over the course of 90 minutes.
TIP: Liverpool to score in both halves @ 3/4
PREDICTED SCORE: Liverpool 3-1 Watford (Priced at 9/1 with 888sport)
MANCHESTER CITY vs West Ham United (8pm)
Pep Guardiola’s side needed penalties to get past Chelsea in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final but the Blues got the job done. Their attention now turns back to the Premier League ahead of a huge clash with West Ham at the Etihad Stadium.
The Hammers have struggled away from home in recent weeks, picking up just one point in their last four games. Manuel Pellegrini led West Ham to a 1-1 draw at home to Liverpool at the start of February but securing a positive result here is a much harder task.
Manchester City will smell blood and this one could get ugly for the Hammers. 1/2 is a solid enough price for Pep’s men to score in both halves – City could run up a cricket score if West Ham aren’t careful.
TIP: Man City to score in both halves @ 1/2
PREDICTED SCORE: Man City 3-0 West Ham (Priced at 13/2 with 888sport)
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
Alex is a sports betting tipster, specialising in Premier League football, the Champions League and horse racing.
He loves placing a weekly accumulator on the football at the weekend and dreams of landing the big winner that will take him back to Las Vegas.
As well as writing sports betting tips for 888sport since 2015, Alex has produced content for several international media companies, such as Goal.com and The SPORTBible.
Fixtures come thick and fast at this time of year. There’s a full Premier League schedule in midweek with four matches on Tuesday night. Cardiff, Brighton, Newcastle and Burnley all have crucial clashes as they look to avoid relegation.
Everton, Wolves and Leicester are competing in mid-table for a few extra million in prize money. Huddersfield, well, they’re just playing the season out at this point. Below are a few thoughts on each fixture with a score prediction and a best bet tip.
CARDIFF CITY vs Everton
Cardiff’s heavy defeat at home to Watford on Friday was somewhat of a surprise. They have been up and down at home, mixing resolute performances with hefty losses.
It’s hard to know which Cardiff we will see against Everton on Tuesday. Prior to the Watford defeat, Neil Warnock’s side had notched two crucial victories – Warnock will hope his side can return to that form.
Everton had the weekend off, though their last match also saw them lose to Watford. Marco Silva is coming under increasing pressure at Goodison Park with the Toffees currently in the bottom half of the table, having lost four of their last five in the league.
Warnock will set his side up to get something here after Friday’s loss. The 8/11 on the hosts to avoid defeat is a good way to sit on the fence.
TIP: Cardiff to win or draw @ 8/11
PREDICTED SCORE: Cardiff 1-1 Everton (Priced at 5/1 with 888sport)
Huddersfield Town vs WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Just in case Huddersfield’s fate needed further confirmation, the Terriers were comfortably beaten away at Newcastle on Saturday.
Jan Siewert has been unable to right a sinking ship, leaving Huddersfield 14 points from safety. It’s a case of playing for pride now, though they face a challenge against Wolves in midweek.
Wolves relinquished the seven spot at the weekend, failing to beat Bournemouth while Watford thrashed Cardiff. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have had a dream campaign thus far and will be confident of a comfortably victory against Huddersfield.
Huddersfield have lost 20 of their 27 league matches. Wolves have a good away record. The 4/5 on an away win looks a very good bet.
TIP: Wolves to win @ 4/5
PREDICTED SCORE: Huddersfield 0-3 Wolves (Priced at 23/2 with 888sport)
LEICESTER CITY vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Leicester sacked Claude Puel on Sunday after a 4-1 loss to Crystal Palace on Saturday. The Foxes are underperforming the talent in their squad this season and have fallen into the bottom half. We could see the change-of-manager-bounce for the visit of Brighton.
Brighton were due to play Chelsea at the weekend but have to wait for that fixture because of their opponent’s League Cup final commitments.
A poor run has pulled Chris Hughton’s side back into the relegation discussion – a home defeat to Brighton in their last outing will have set alarm bells ringing for some at the Amex.
888sport's Premier League betting odds have Leicester at 10/11 to get the win. That looks a good price after Puel’s sacking.
TIP: Leicester to win @ 10/11
PREDICTED SCORE: Leicester 2-1 Brighton (Priced at 7/1 with 888sport)
NEWCASTLE UNITED vs Burnley
Newcastle have a new fan favourite in Miguel Almiron, who shone against Huddersfield at the weekend. The Magpies still need 10 more points to be confident of safety.
Burnley are not the ideal opponent right now, but Rafa Benitez has seen his side win their last three at home and will be quietly confident of a win here.
Burnley are unbeaten in eight league matches, a streak bettered only by Manchester City. A dramatic and controversial win over Tottenham leaves the Clarets closer to 10th than they are to the relegation zone.
Sean Dyche’s side have turned things around after a woeful first half of the season and look like the team that finished seventh last season. This one is likely to be settled by the odd goal, but home advantage – and the thrilling Almiron – makes Newcastle favourites.
TIP: Newcastle to win or draw @ 27/100
PREDICTED SCORE: Newcastle 2-1 Burnley (Priced at 15/2 with 888sport)
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.
He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.
Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.
Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.
